Resident Strangers

This episode wraps up our summer series, What Does the Bible Say About ___?, as we conclude our discussion on Christians and Israel. Rich kicks things off with two important questions, one theological and one following up on something Steve mentioned: Is the modern nation-state of Israel the same Israel that God made promises to throughout Scripture? And is dispensationalism something Christians s...

Even more so than when we first covered this topic over a year ago, this week's conversation is a timely and weighty one. In the final topic of our What Does the Bible Say About ____? series, Steve, Rich, and Sarah discuss what the Bible says about Christians and Israel. This is a complex topic because it touches theology, history, politics, and current events. One of the biggest challenges i...

Before continuing last week's conversation, Steve, Rich, and Sarah take a few minutes to share favorite Fourth of July memories and reflect on America's upcoming 250th anniversary. Picking up where they left off, the team revisits the topic of Christian nationalism. Steve offers this definition: a political and ideological movement that seeks to closely fuse Christianity with national id...

Summer is in full swing, and this week’s episode of What Does the Bible Say About ___? tackles a timely and sensitive topic: Christian nationalism. Steve notes that over the past decade, this issue has drawn some of the strongest criticism from all sides, and even the term itself tends to create division. Sarah shares that it’s especially personal for her, as her college experience at a Christian...

The word toxic has become a cultural buzzword, especially when conversations turn to masculinity and increasingly, femininity as well. This week on Resident Strangers, the discussion continues as Steve, Rich, and Sarah explore what the Bible says about masculinity and femininity. Rich points out that even some of the men and women we encounter in Scripture aren't always intended to be models...

The summer series What Does the Bible Say About ______? continues this week as the crew dives into the topic of masculinity and femininity. When Desert Springs chose this topic for a sermon series in January, Steve admitted he was unsure what people specifically wanted to know. There was just a strong sense that it needed to be discussed. The conversation begins in Genesis 1 and 2, where God creat...

This week, Steve, Rich, and Sarah continue last week’s conversation on what the Bible says about suicide. Early in the discussion, they address a difficult and often-asked question: If a Christian dies by suicide, do they still go to heaven? To explore this, Steve references several accounts in Scripture involving suicide and briefly touches on some Catholic perspectives that have historically vie...

This week, a new mini-series begins on Resident Strangers . Over the next eight weeks, Steve, Rich, and Sarah will explore some of the most searched and challenging topics people are asking about online, approaching each one through the lens of Scripture. Each topic will be covered over two weeks, and our hope is that this series will both encourage and challenge us as we head into the summer. To...

To kick off this week’s conversation, Sarah asks returning guest Trevor Schalow what first sparked his interest in studying topics like the Nephilim. Trevor shares how experiences his older brother had growing up in Show Low, Arizona revealed to him that many Christians don’t know how to process paranormal or supernatural experiences. Because these topics can feel unsettling or strange, believers...

Special guest Trevor Schalow joins Steve and Sarah for a conversation you won’t want to miss as they dive into the mysterious topic of the Nephilim. This is a subject that’s been gaining a lot of traction in today’s culture. While the discussion is fascinating, Steve makes it clear from the start: this isn’t a “line in the sand” theological issue. Faithful believers have landed in different places...

Was the apostle Paul the first to deal with something like cancel culture? The idea of “canceling” people has exploded, especially online over the last decade but it’s not entirely new. As Steve, Rich, and Sarah talk it through, Steve points to Paul addressing public correction, particularly when it comes to elders. But even that looked very different back then as the “public” was much smaller and...

Some things in Scripture are clear and non-negotiable. Others aren’t directly addressed and can feel more open-ended. Have you ever had a friend feel strongly about an issue that didn’t seem like a big deal to you, especially in your faith? The Bible gives clear direction on many things, but some areas can be harder to sort through. In 1 Corinthians 10:31, we’re reminded: “whether you eat or drink...

This week, we continue the conversation from our previous episode on Sodom and Gomorrah. Rich opens with a powerful reminder from 1 Corinthians: “Bad company corrupts good character.” The truth is, what we surround ourselves with shapes us, often more than we realize. That reality is clearly seen in the story of Sodom and Gomorrah and becomes a key theme in today's discussion. From there, we...

Are there stories in the Bible that feel strange, unsettling, or even a little uncomfortable? This week, Steve, Rich, and Sarah dive into one of the most infamous accounts in the Old Testament: Sodom and Gomorrah. Sarah jokingly notes that this story didn’t quite make it into her son’s storybook Bible and for those familiar with it, that probably comes as no surprise. Rich walks through the narrat...

What would it take to convince your own siblings that you are God? Robby Lashua is back in the studio with Sarah and Steve for a special Easter episode. With his background in apologetics, Robby brings a compelling and thoughtful perspective on the resurrection. From the empty tomb and the transformed lives of the disciples to the historical reality of the crucifixion and Paul’s dramatic conversio...

This week, the conversation around missions continues as Steve, Rich, and Sarah take a deeper look at what mission work really looks like and what it truly requires. Sarah opens up about a decision she faced early in her college years, wrestling with whether she was called to commit to full-time missions. Steve reflects on how, in the past, becoming a missionary meant a complete surrender of your...

The Resident Strangers crew is back from spring break and excited to jump back into conversations on topics that matter today! Over the next two weeks, Steve, Rich, and Sarah will be talking about missions. Rich kicks things off with an important question: Why should followers of Christ engage in mission work at all? The answer becomes clear when we look at the Great Commission: Jesus’ final instr...

Steve is back this week as the Resident Strangers crew wraps up their final conversation on Mormonism (for now 😉). They take time to respond to listener questions like: Why not host a debate with a practicing Mormon? And why can’t people just choose whatever they want to believe? You’ll also hear Steve share his reflections on the series and offer practical ways believers can take what they’ve le...

You don’t have to travel across the world to encounter worldviews that challenge Christianity. You can find them right in your own community. Sarah and Rich sit down again with special guest Robby Lashua, and he kicks things off by sharing why he’s so passionate about apologetics today. As a young boy, Robby wrestled deeply with questions about faith, and one truth shaped his journey: if God is re...

Are Christians and Mormons essentially the same? Robby Lashua joins Sarah and Rich for a focused and insightful conversation on Mormonism. Robby, a longtime friend with a background in apologetics and the Lead Pastor of Palmcroft Church in Phoenix, brings years of knowledge and firsthand experience from living in a region where interactions with Mormons are common. As Mormonism becomes more visibl...

Last week, Steve and Rich clarified which parts of Scripture are considered doctrine. This week, they explore what it looks like when a follower of Christ feels convicted to observe Old Hebrew practices. Steve introduces this as the Hebrew Roots Movement, which teaches that modern Christianity has drifted from Jesus’ original teachings and that the Torah should be restored to prominence. This can...

Many Christians don’t have a parapet on their roof does that mean they aren’t following God’s leading for daily life? Questions like this highlight a larger conversation about how Scripture should be interpreted. One way this tension shows up is in how some people latch onto specific teachings, particularly from the Old Testament, and apply them directly to modern life.  In this conversation, Rich...

This week’s episode continues last week’s conversation by asking how a God who shows wrath can also show such deep grace between the Old and New Testament. Steve challenges the idea that the Old and New Testaments present different versions of God, noting that both wrath and grace are found in each. One key difference is focus. The New Testament centers on individuals and how they are called to li...

It’s Tuesday again, which means a new episode of Resident Strangers is here! This week is exciting as the crew begins digging into listener-submitted questions and suggestions. Over the next two episodes, we’re diving into a big one: Is the God of the Old Testament different from the God of the New Testament? Some see stark differences between the two, while others believe God has always been the...

Happy New Year and welcome back to Resident Strangers! A new year naturally invites reflection and a longing for something new. Steve opens the conversation by emphasizing the importance of spiritual self-examination, reminding us how easy it is to let life simply happen to us rather than living with intention. He points to 1 Kings 19, where God asks Elijah, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” This...